TV3 GROUP WINS 2011 AUDIENCE SHARE RACE

For further information:

Sharon McHugh
TV3 PRESS OFFICE
+3531 419 3430 / 087 922 4143
sharon.mchugh@tv3.ie
publicity@tv3.ie

Ciara Byrne
+353 1 419 3329 / 087 3199732
ciara.byrne@tv3.ie

TV3 GROUP WINS 2011 AUDIENCE SHARE RACE


·        TV3 Group the only Irish broadcaster in the market to grow share in 2011

·        TV3 makes the biggest market share gain for a single terrestrial channel in 2011

·        TV3 and 3e the only Irish channels to grow market share three years in a row

TV3 Group was the only Irish broadcaster to increase Adult share in 2011, growing by 2.6%. TV3's Adult share of viewing grew by 1.3% in 2011, the biggest increase recorded by any terrestrial channel in the country. 3e's share grew by a massive 16% as it became the biggest ‘digital-only' channel in Ireland during 2011, outstripping Sky1, E4 and 200+ digital channels.

2011 was the third consecutive year that both TV3 and 3e increased its viewing, the only channel group in Ireland to do so. TV3 now has 20% more viewers than it did in 2008.

TV3 Group had a bigger share in 2011 than UTV, C4, BBC1 and BBC2 combined (Adults 15+).

Programming highlights for the year include Come Dine With Me Ireland (512,000 Individuals for its best episode), I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out of Here (504,000), The Tenements (273,000), Vincent Browne's Big Presidential Debate (370,000), Celebrity Salon (326,000), The X Factor (730,000), The Apprentice (433,000) and Temple Street Children's Hospital (235,000).

TV3 broadcast over 2,600 hours of home-produced content in 2011.

TV3 was host broadcaster for the UEFA Europa League Final in Dublin last May. The match between Portuguese teams FC Porto and Sporting Braga reached over 1 million viewers.

TV3's Online service 3PLAYER was launched two months ago and already has clocked up 1m long-form video views. 3PLAYER is the most advanced player in these islands, accessible from all PC, iPad and iPhone devices. 3PLAYER typically adds 5% to the total audience of a broadcast programme.

TV3's CEO, David McRedmond said: "2011 was a great year for the station. Having made such huge audience gains in 2010 our job was to consolidate this share, but we surprised ourselves by increasing share further. The strategy to build audience through home production is working and in 2012 we will increase our studio space fourfold to increase home production further. Reform of the broadcasting market could see a rapid expansion of the sector as it emerges from recession."